e. 


PROFESSOR  SILLIMAFS  REPORT 


UPON    THE 


OIL   PROPERTY 


OF    THE 


Philadelphia  and  California 

PETROLEUM  COMPANY, 


OF 


SITUATED    IN 


Santa  Barbara  and  Los  Angeles  Counties, 


TO  WHICH  ARE  ADDED 

EXTEACTS  FKOM  THE  FIELD  NOTES  MADE  ON  A  SUEVEY  AND 
EXPLOEATION  FOE  A  RAIL  EOAD,  IN  1850  AND  IS'.T, 

BY 

COL.   J.    WILLIAMSON, 

CHIEF  ENGINEER  OF  THE  SURVEY. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

E.    C.    MAEKLEY   &   SON,    PEINTERS,    GOLDSMITHS    HALL; 

LIBRARY    STREET. 

1865. 


1 


PEOFESSOE  SILLIMAN'S  EEPOET 


UPON   THE 


OIL   PROPERTY 


OF    THE 


Philadelphia  and  California 

PETROLEUM  COMPANY, 


OIT- 


SITUATED    IN 


Santa  Barbara  and  Los  Angeles  Counties, 


TO  WHICH  ARE  ADDED 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  FIELD  NOTES  MADE  ON  A  SURVEY  AND 
EXPLORATION  FOR  A  RAIL  ROAD,  IN  1850  AND  1857, 

BY 

COL.   J.    WILLIAMSON, 

CHIEF  ENGINEER  OF  THE  SURVEY. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

E.    C.    MABKLEY   &   SON,    PKINTERS,    GOLDSMITHS   HALL, 

LIBRARY    STREET. 

1865. 


REPORT. 


To  JOHN  C.  CRESSON,  ESQ., 

President  of  the  Philadelphia  and  California  Petroleum  Company. 

DEAR  SIR  : — The  delivery  of  my  Report  on  the  Oil  Lands 
of  your  Company,  has  been  necessarily  delayed  for  a  short 
time,  pending  the  arrival  of  the  samples  of  crude  oil  therefrom, 
required  for  the  chemical  examinations.  Permit  me  now  to 
state  the  important  facts  in  the  case. 

The  discovery  of  Petroleum  on  a  great  scale  in  California  is  a 
fact  now  well  established,  and  chiefly  along  or  near  the  sea-shore, 
in  the  counties  of  San  Luis  Obispo,  Santa  Barbara  and  Los 
Angeles,  where  its  occurrence  in  accessible  positions  and  sur-, 
rounded  by  arable  lands  and  in  a  delightful  climate,  has  led 
to  the  early  incorporation  of  these  lands  in  the  hands  of  powerful 
Companies,  based  on  the  expectation  of  doing  a  large  and  perma- 
nent business.  Among  the  most  favored  of  all  these  localities, 
so  far  as  they  have  fallen  under  my  own  observation,  is  the  large 
estate  amassed  in  Santa  Barbara  County  by  your  own  Company. 

The  lands  owned  in  fee  simple  by  the  Philadelphia  and  Cali- 
fornia Petroleum  Company  comprise  the  whole  of  three  large 
ranchos  adjoining  each  other,  and  embracing  collectively,  nearly 
two  hundred  thousand  acres  of  land. 

These  estates  are, 

1st.  The  Rancho  Las  Posas  of      -  26,623.36  acres. 

2d.   The  Rancho  Simi,  -       113,009.21      " 

3d.   The  Raneho  San  Francisco,  -         -        42,800.00     " 


Total  area,    -  -       .-       182,432.57 


This  corresponds  to  about  two  hundred  and  eighty-five  square 
miles  of  the  finest  agricultural  and  grazing  lands  in  California, 
giving  your  estate  an  extremely  high  value  irrespective  of  its  oil 
outcrops. 

This  great  territory  is  all  within  the  geological  limits  where 
oil  may  be  reasonably  looked  for  and  where  (which  is  much 
more  to  the  point,)  it  is  found. 

It  falls  within  the  boundaries  of  the  Cretaceous  and  Tertiary 
beds  of  the  Coast  Range,  and  is  traversed  or  bounded  by  ranges 
of  mountains  and  hills  forming  lines  of  disturbance  or  upheaval 
along  which,  as  I  have  elsewhere  explained,  the  oil  outcrops  in 
California  may,  in  most  cases  be  reasonably  looked  for. 

Between  a  range  of  low  hills  on  the  east  and  the  Santa  Susanna 
Mountains  on  the  south-west  and  west,  the  main  body  of  land  in 
this  estate  forms  an  interior  valley.  This  valley  debouches  to 
the  sea  by  the  western  end  of  the  Posas  Eancho,  where  it  is 
within  about  nine  miles  of  the  Pacific.  From  the  sea  to  the 
diagonally-opposite  extremity  of  the  estate,  is  a  distance  of  over 
thirty-six  miles.  This  is  called  the  Valley  of  Simi, — a  well 
watered  valley,  capable  of  producing  all  the  agricultural  and 
pomological  products  of  a  climate  rivaling  Italy  in  its  genial 
air,  and  exceeding  it  in  its  salubrious  climate  and  brilliant  skies. 
This  fine  region  has  been  heretofore  almost  exclusively  devoted 
to  the  herding  of  half-wild  cattle  or  grazing  of  sheep,  although 
the  Tapo  Vineyard  has  gained  great  celebrity  for  its  wines  and 
brandy. 

Las  Posas  gains  its  name  from  its  fine  natural  springs  of  water 
which  are  repeated  upon  Simi,  whose  vineyards  are  watered 
by  one  of  these  fountains,  true  natural  artesian  wells,  some  of 
which  bring  to  the  surface  thin  oil.  Such  is  the  case  with 
the  natural  fountain  or  Laguna,  which  rises  near  the  Mansion 
House  of  the  Noriega  family,  on  the  Simi  Estate.  Carburetted 
hydrogen  gas  accompanies  the  escape  of  oil  from  these  springs, 
just  as  in  front  of  the  Santa  Barbara  Coast,  where  both  oil  and 
gas  escape  constantly  from  the  surface  of  the  ocean. 

This  estate  is  on  a  line  geologically  continuous  with  the  leading 
oil-producing  areas  of  this  portion  of  California.  From  what  I 


have  myself  seen,  and  from  all  I  tian  learn  from  the  observations 
of  others,  I  have  reason  to  believe  that,  as  an  oil  estate,  it  is 
unsurpassed  by  any  other  in  California,  while  in  the  incidental 
but  not  unimportant  advantages  of  soil,  superficial  area  and 
capacity  of  production  for  all  the  most  valuable  products  of  the 
soil,  it  is  likewise  unsurpassed. 

NATURE   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   OUTCROPS. 

It  has  been  often  remarked  that  in  California  most  natural 
phenomena  are  on  a  scale  of  extent  unlike  what  is  seen  upon 
the  eastern  side  of  the  continent.  The  oil  outcrops  form  no 
exception  to  this  rule.  Some  of  the  natural  wells  of  petroleum 
and  tar  are  forty  or  more  feet  in  diameter,  troubled  by  tlio 
escape  of  gas,  and  surrounded  sometimes  by  a  quagmire  of  pitch 
in  which  wild  and  domestic  animals  become  mired.  Vallies  or 
Canons  are  flowed  with  the  escaping  products  to  that  degree 
that  progress  across  them  is  impeded.  Hill-sides  are  covered, 
often  for  hundreds  of  square  acres,  with  hardened  asphaltum, 
where  in  an  earlier  day  oil  springs,  now  no  longer  active,  have 
found  vent.  These  phenomena  are  all  connected  in  California 
with  the  existence  of  naptha,  the  smell  of  which  is  recognized 
in  the  fresh  fracture  of  even  its  hardest  products,  and  they  are 
not  to  be  confounded  with  the  tarry  bitumen  of  Barbadoes  and 
the  West  Indies  generally,  in  which  there  appears  to  be  little 
volatile  oil.  The  relation  of  the  California  asphalt  to  the  thin 
oil  is  discussed  under  a  subsequent  head. 

DISTRIBUTION  AND  CHARACTER  OF  THE   OIL   OUTCROPS  ON   YOUR 

ESTATE. 

The  accompanying  map,  prepared  by  Thomas  Sprague,  Sur- 
veyor of  Santa  Barbara  County,  exhibits  the  distribution  of 
the  oil  outcrops  on  the  lands  of  the  Philadelphia  and  California 
Petroleum  Company,  as  also  the  main  physical  features  of  the 
territory.  The  Santa  Susanna  Mountains  rising  on  the  south- 
west and  continued  across  the  southern  boundary  of  the  estate 
are  largely  composed  of  heavy  bedded  sand-stone,  the  upheaval 
of  which  has  given  a  prevalence  of  northerly  dips  to  the  shales 


along  the  western  line,  while  near  the  springs  marked  5  and  6, 
and  some  others,  the  strata  stand  nearly  vertical.  The  Santa 
Susanna  Pass  is  in  this  range  of  sand-stone  mountains,  where 
huge  blocks  of  eroded  sand-stone  rising  to  a  height  of  several 
hundred  feet,  form  a  wild  and  picturesque  boundary  between  the 
Simi  Kancho  and  the  large  territory  of  the  Ex-Mission  of  San 
Fernando  laying  next  south  of  it.  There  is  a  gradual  rise  in 
passing  through  your  estate  from  the  stage-station  on  the  Las 
Posas  Rancho,  through  the  valley  of  the  river'  to  the  Santa 
Susanna  Pass,  the  valley  being  bounded  by  gentle  grassy  hills 
rising  into  mountains,  as  already  stated  to  the  west  and  south, 
and  less  remarkably  on  the  east,  in  the  line  of  the  San  Fernando 
Hills. 

The  oil  outcrops  occur  along  the  strike  of  the  rocks.  These 
are  indicated  by  numerals  on  the  map,  and  are  briefly  described 
in  their  order. 

No.  1,  Is  a  slight  outcrop  of  oil  in  a  small  valley,  on  the  Simi 
Eancho. 

No.  2,  Is  a  fine  outcrop  of  oil  and  tar,  situated  in  a  large 
valley.  This  outcrop  is  on  the  south  side  of  a  bluff  running  east 
and  west  about  one  hundred  feet  high.  The  oil  comes  out  from 
the  base  about  half  way  up  the  bluff,  and  for  a  distance  of  a  half 
mile  from  the  eastern  to  the  western  points  of  outcrop.  Oil  is 
also  found  in  the  valley  in  places  some  hundreds  of  yards  from 
the  main  outcrop.  The  strata  dip  here  to  the  north,  at  an 
angle  of  about  fifty  degrees. 

No.  3,  Is  a  large  "Cienega,"  or  spring  of  water  in  the  Simi 
plain,  already  alluded  to  in  the  former  part  of  this  report. 

On  the  surface  of  the  water  at  times,  much  oil  is  found  floating ; 
at  other  times  but  little  is  seen. 

No.  4,  Oil  here  comes  out  in  the  bank  and  bed  of  the  Arroyo 
de  Simi,  in  small  quantities,  but  of  a  very  marked  character, 
covering  the  surface  of  the  water. 

No.  5,  Indicates  a  point  where  gas  in  large  quantities  escapes 
from  the  earth  accompanied  by  a  soft  sulphurous  mud. 

This  hole  is  about  three  feet  in  diameter  and  is  constantly- 
discharging  gas,  mud,  and  water.  It  is  also  intermittent,  dis- 


charging  more  at  some  times  than  at  others.  This  discharge  is 
situated  on  the  side  of  a  hill  in  a  small  valley,  leading  out  of  the 
"  Canada  de  Tapo." 

No.  6,  Is  a  vein  of  asphaltum  crossing  a  large  valley,  showing 
itself  in  the  bed  of  the  stream  and  running  into  and  up  the  face 
of  the  mountains  on  the  east  and  west  sides.  Where  it  crosses 
the  stream  it  discharges  a  moderate  amount  of  oil  and  tar.  The 
strata  here  are  nearly  or  quite  perpendicular,  and  the  apparent 
course  of  the"  vein  about  east  and  west.  Its  width  cannot  be 
correctly  determined  without  laying  hare  the  face  of  the  moun- 
tain, but  it  is  probably  twenty  feet  wide. 

No.  7.  Two  springs  of  pure  water  accompanied  with  gas.. 

No.  8,  Is  a  succession  of  oil  and  tar  springs  in  a  valley  or 
Canada,  running  into  the  Santa  Clara  River.  They  cross  out 
for  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  along  the  upper  portions  of  the 
Canon. 

The  quantity  thrown  out  is  large.  These  are  on  the  north 
side  of  the  mountain,  partly  in  the  Simi,  and  appear  to  be  of 
first-rate  quality  and  quantity. 

No.  9,  Is  a  series  of  outcrops,  situated  at  the  northern  edge 
of  Simi  Rancho,  reaching  over  on  to  the  adjoining  -San  Francisco 
P^ancho.  This  is  a  valuable  outcrop  of  thin  oil,  standing  in 
pools  up  and  down  the  Arroyo. 

No.  10,  Indicates  some  large  springs  on  the  sides  of  the  moun- 
tain, where  the  whole  earth  is  saturated  with  oil,  and  from  its 
own  weight  pushing  forward  and  sliding  down  the  mountain. 
The  spring  shown  on  the  map,  just  inside  the  line  of  Simi,  is  a 
fine  lime-water  spring,  coming  out  in  a  sag  or  depression  of  the 
mountain,  about  half  a  mile  north  of  the  creek.  Masses  of 
porous  limestone,  (tufa,)  deposited  in  former  times  by  this 
spring,  are  still  plainly  visible. 

No.  11,  Is  the  valley  of  an  Arroyo,  in  its  circuitous  course 
cutting  deep  into  the  mountain.  Near  where  the  line  of  the 
two  Ranches  crosses  its  course  is  a  large  spring  of  white  sul- 
pher  water,  very  deep,  and  in  which  Mr.  Sprague  came  very 
near  losing  one  of  his  men  and  his  horse  in  attempting  to  pass 
around  it. 


8 

Nos.  12,  12,  12,  12,  12,  Indicate  outcrops  in  the  heads  of 
CM  uons ;  some  'of  them  are  believed  to  be  rich. 

No.  13,  On  the  wide  bed  of  the  Santa  Clara  Eiver,  are  sloughs 
and  springs  of  water  just  under  the  bank.  This  water  is  more 
or  less  covered  with  oil. 

No.  14,  Is  a  wide  outcrop  extending  for  more  than  a  mile 
along  the  Canon. 

No.  16,  Is  a  very  large  oil  spring,  and  the  one  from  which 
the  sample  of  five  gallons  was  taken  on  which  the  chemical 
examination  contained  in  this  report  was  made.  It  throws  out 
a  stream  of  thin  oil  that  runs  down  the  Arrogo  for  a  distance 
of  about  two  miles. 

Of  these  springs,  Nos.  2,  6,  8,  9, 10, 14  and  16  are  worthy  of 
particular  mention,  both  for  their  size  and  for  the  quality  of 
the  crude  petroleum.  No.  8  has  more  of  the  character  of  the 
asphaltum  on  Hills'  Eancho,  west  of  the  Santa  Barbara,  than 
any  deposit  yet  noticed  in  the  country. 

On  the  Eancho  Las  Posas,  the  same  geological  characters 
prevail,  as  on  Simi  and  San  Francisco,  and  there  can  be  hardly 
a  doubt  that  artificial  wells  may  be  bored  with  success  at 
numerous  points  along  the  whole  extent  of  the  Arroyo  de  Simi, 
or  at  intervals  for  a  distance  on  your  estate  of  at  least  twenty 
miles  from  north  to  south. 

This  examination  of  oil  outcrops  is  undoubtedly  very  far  from 
expressing  the  whole  truth  or  of  conveying  an  adequate  impres- 
sion of  the  extent  and  importance  of  the  oil  outcrops  on  your 
estate.  These  are  in  fact  much  more  numerous  than  the  map 
records.  Each  little  valley  or  Canon  on  the  property  will, 
beyond  doubt,  on  more  careful  examination  than  has  as  yet 
been  given  to  them,  disclose  new  outpourings  not  now  known. 

OF   THE   CHEMICAL   CHARACTERS   OF   THE    QIL. 

Of  the  chemical  character  of  the  California  Petroleum,  it  is 
not  possible  in  the  present  state  of  our  experimental  knowledge 
to  speak  as  fully  as  it  will  be  after  the  oil  has  been  drawn  fresh 
from  the  wells  now  about  to  be  bored. 

In  a  climate  like  that  of  California,  evaporation  takes  place 


9 

with  great  rapidity  during  at  least  nine  months  of  the  year,  and 
as  a  consequence  the  thin  and  more  volatile  portions  of  the  Petro- 
leum evaporate  on  exposure,  leaving  only  the  thicker  and  heavier 
oils,  the  further  evaporation  and  oxydation  of  which  leaves 
asphaltum,  which  has  accumulated  in  considerable  quantities  in 
the  vicinity  of  all  the  Californian  oil  outcrops. 

The  following  experimental  results  obtained  from  the  physi- 
cal and  chemical  examination  of  a  sample  of  thin  oil  from  your 
estate,  under  my  directions,  in  the  Sheffield  Laboratory  of  the 
Scientific  School  in  New  Haven,  appear  to  me  of  much  impor- 
tance as  establishing  beyond  all  doubt  the  vital  point  of  inquiry, 
that  you  possess  a  crude  Petroleum  in  abundance  on  your  estate, 
which  even  in  its  natural  condition  of  escape  to  the  surface,  and 
after  exposure  to  the  air,  proves  itself  to  be  of  almost  unequalled 
quality,  and  justifies  the  expectation  that,  when  drawn  fresh 
from  the  wells,  it  will  rank  among  the  very  best  samples  of 
crude  Petroleum  produced  in  the  world. 

ITS   PHYSICAL   CHARACTER. 

This  sample  of  oil  was  collected  from  outcrop  No.  16,  before 
named. 

This  sample  is  of  a  dark  brown  color,  thin  and  mobile  a3 
water,  and  of  a  decided  naphtha  odor.  It  shows  two  colors, 
(dichroism,)  according  to  the  angle  of  light.  In  a  thin  tube  it 
has  a  yellow  brown  color  by  transmitted  light.  Its  density  ia 
861,  or  about  34.30°  of  the  commercial  standard. 

It  burns  in  its  crude  state  in  lamp  with  a  chimney,  (common 
lamp,)  with  quite  a  bright  flame  and  strong  light  for  a  few 
moments,  but  after  eight  or  ten  minutes  the  wick  commences 
to  coal,  and  after  about  fifteen  minutes  it  smokes,  and  finally 
dies  out.  You  can  readily  repeat  this  experiment  for  your  own 
satisfaction. 

ITS   CHEMICAL   CHARACTER. 

A  preliminary  trial  showed  me  that  a  portion  of  this  oil 
would  distill  at  a  very  moderate  temperature.  Arrangements 
were  made,  therefore,  to  conduct  the  operation  during  the  first 


10 

half  of  the  distillation  in  glass,  for  the  convenience  of  observing 
and  regulating  the  process  and  noting  the  temperatures,  expect- 
ing to  complete  the  experiment  in  an  iron  retort.  These  arrange- 
ments were  carried  out  with  the  following  results : 

One  thousand  measures  (1,000  c.  c.)  were  distilled  in  fractions 
of  one  hundred  measures  each,  noting  from  time  to  time  the 
changes  in  temperature  by  a  mercurial  thermometer,  the  bulb 
of  which  was  continually  in  the  fluid. 

A  vapor  condensed  in  the  void  space  at        -  140°  Farenheit. 

The  fluid  began  to  simmer  at                         -  209°  " 

"      "         "  t  "  boil  at    -                           -  221°  " 

20  measures  had  distilled  at '  -       -  307°  " 

40    "    """---  338°  " 

100    "    "    "    "       -  350°  " 

140    "    "    "    "   '-   -   -  374°  " 

160   "    ""«---  392°  « 

200   "    «""---  419°  " 

240       "    "    "       -  455°  " 

260   "    «""-.-  463°  " 

300   "    """---  482°    " 
360    "    """---  511°    tt 

400  "  «««--.  538°    " 

450  "  ""«---  568°    " 

485  "  •'    "  -  608° 

500  "  "    "    "    (estimated,)  698° 

The  temperature  rose  very  suddenly  after  485  measures  had 
passed  over,  and  soon  passed  the  boiling  point  of  mercury. 

The  remaining  500  measures  were  distilled  from  an  iron 
retort,  and  yielded  about  460  measures  of  oil,  a  light  carbona- 
ceous residue  (coke)  being  left  in  the  retort. 


11 


The  result  of  this  experiment  may  be  thus  stated : 
1;000  measures  of  crude  oil  yielded,  on  distillation 

in  glass,  500  measures. 

In  iron, 460         " 


Total,     - 


960 


Or,  96  per  cent,  of  the  crude  product  reappears  in  the  frac- 
tional distillation  as  oil ;  only  a  drop  or  two  of  water  came  over.* 

The  characters  of  the  several  portions  of  this  fractional  dis- 
tillation are  expressed  in  the  following  table,  for  each  decimal 
portion : 




Decimal  part. 

Specific  Gray. 

Beaum6. 

Explos.  Test. 

1st, 

100  C.  C. 

755 

55.77 

58°  Fah. 

2d, 

100  C.  C. 

775 

51.80 

70°     " 

3d, 

100  C.  C. 

793 

47.62 

100°     " 

4th, 

100  c.  c. 

815 

42.70 

156°     " 

5th, 

100  c.  c. 

838 

37.83 

196°     " 

6th, 

100  c.  c. 

867 

32.08 

190°     " 

7th, 

100  c.  c. 

872 

31.13 

190°     " 

8th,  .      - 

100  c.  c. 

890 

27.79 

181°     " 

•9th, 

100  c.  c. 

900 

26.00 

171°     " 

10th, 

100  c.  c. 

900 

26.00 

140°     " 

*  Of  unrectified  products,  the  loss  in  rectification  cannot  be  very  well 
determined  in  the  small  way;  but  appears  to  be  on  the  lubricating  oil, 
from  6  to  8  per  cent. ;  on  the  illuminating  oil,  not  so  much  ;  and  on  the 
light  oil,  not  appreciable. 


12 

The  color  of  these  products  varies  from  Nos.  1  and  2,  which 
are  quite  colorless,  through  3  to  7,  which  commencing  in  3  as  a 
faint  pink  becomes  red  in  6  and  7,  while  8;  9  and  10  can  hardly 
be  distinguished  in  color  from  much  of  the  better  quality  of 
crude  oil  flowing  from  the  best  wells,  having  the  same  change 
of  color  (dichorism)  by  reflected  and  transmitted  light.  The 
unrectified  products  would  arrange  themselves  thus  by  color — 

I.         1st,  2d,  3d  fractions. 

II.         4th,  5th,  6th,         7th, 

III.        8th.  9th,         10th, 

But  in  the  actual  conduct  of  the  manufacture  of  this  oil,  I 
presume  the  practical  oil  distiller  would  make  three  divisions  of 

Light  oil,  including  the  1st  and  2d  fractions. 
Burning  oil,     "         "     3     to     7         " 
Lubricating  oil,         "     8     to  10         " 
The  mean  densities  of  these  three  classes  would  be : 

1st  class,  765  =  about  53.5°  commercial. 
2d      "      837  =     "      38.5° 
3d      "      890  =     "      28.0°         " 

The  relative  percentage  indicated  by  this  division  of  the  pro- 
ducts of  distillation,  would  be : 

1st  class,  20.00  parts  Light  oil. 
2d     "      46  "     Burning  ffil. 

3d     "      30  "     Lubricating  oil. 

Carbon  and  loss  being  about  4  per  cent. 
It  is  very  probable  that  in  the  large  way,  if  deemed  desirable, 
the  proportion  of  burning  oil  could  be  raised  to  60  per  cent. ; 
but  this  is  a  practical  question  which  can  be  much  better  decided 
by  the  experience  of  your  manufacturer. 

All  these  grades  (10)  are  easily  clarified  and  deodorized  by 
the  usual  treatment  with  oil  of  vitriol  and  carbonate  of  soda. 
The  first  two  decimals  were  both  colorless,  and  free  from  any 
burnt  or  empyrumatic  odor,  fragrant  and  agreeable.  No.  3, 
which  was  faintly  pink,  and  very  slightly  unpleasant,  became 
quite  colorless,  and  perfectly  agreeable  smelling  by  the  usual 


13 

treatment.  The  other  fractions  yield  to  similar  treatment.  Not 
one  of  them  has  by  any  means  so  disagreeable  an  odor  in  its 
unrectified  state  as  many  commercial  samples  of  so-called 
refined  oil  possess.  I  send  you  the  specimens,  after  rectifica- 
tion, grouped  in  three  classes  as  indicated,  that  you  may  judge 
for  yourself  of  their  quality. 

The  Illuminating  oil  has  an  explosive  test  of  155°  Farenheit, 
and  burns  beautifully  in  a  lamp. 

I  have  not  proved  the  existence  of  analine.  It  will  be  requi- 
site to  operate  on  large  quantities  before  its  absence  from  your 
crude  petroleum  can  be  safely  affirmed. 

You  will  observe  under  the  column  of  Explosive  Test  a  sud- 
den fall  in  the  degree  at  which  explosion  occurs  after  the  7th 
fraction,  the  10th  being  not  less  than  50  degrees  under  the  7th. 
This  anomaly  is  explained,  I  venture  to  suggest,  on  the  ground 
that,  as  the  temperature  of  distillation  rises  rapidly  toward  the 
close  of  the  process,  (see  table,)  some  of  the  lighter  oils  are 
regenerated,  in  consequence  of  the  breaking  up  of  a  portion  of 
the  oil  into  products  of  a  lower  boiling  point,  and  also  a  portion 
of  gas  which  escapes  in  a  steady,  but  slow  stream,  during  the 
distillation  of  the  three  last  fractions.  This  curious  fact  is  not 
without  its  useful  suggestions,  as  affecting  the  application  of  the 
so-called  "fire  test,"  which  at  best  is  a  very  rude  mode  of  testing. 

In  conclusion,  j^rmit  me  to  congratulate  you  on  the  extremely 
satisfactory  results  of  this  first  chemical  examination  of  your 
crude  oil.  There  is  but  little  risk  in  predicting  that  the  results 
in  the  large  way  used  upon  the  freshly  drawn  oil  will  be  even 
superior  in  the  large  way  to  those  which  I  have  now  the  power 
of  presenting  to  your  notice. 

WHY  THIN  OIL  MAY  BE  LOOKED  FOR  FROM  THE  ARTESIAN 
BORINGS. 

That  the  fresh  oil,  as  it  will  flow  from  the  wells,  will  contain 
a  larger  proportion  of  light  oil  than  most  of  the  crude  oil,  does 
not  admit  of  a  doubt,  in  my  judgment. 

Nature,  in  fact,  demonstrates  this  in  her  great  experiment 
which  is  now  going  on  along  the  Santa  Barbara  coast,  where 


14 

the  surface  of  the  sea  is,  for  many  square  miles,  flooded  with 
thin  oil,  escaping  from  the  edges  of  the  oil-bearing  strata, 
beneath  the  waves. 

This  oil  is  so  thin  that  it  evaporates  almost  as  soon  as  it 
reaches  the  surface,  and  the  air  is  laden  with  the  heavy  odor  of 
its  volatilization. 

I  have  elsewhere  described  this  phenomenon,  and  take  the 
liberty  here  to  repeat  my  own  language,  as  the  phenomenon  is 
not  only  very  remarkable  in  itself  considered,  but  of  the  highest 
interest  in  view  of  the  future  prosperity  of  your  Company,  in 
as  much  as  it  seems  to  quiet  all  doubts  on  the  important  ques- 
tion whether  boring  will  reach  oil  in  California. 

"  From  the  times  of  the  earliest  explorations  and  voyages  in 
California,  it  has  been  known  that  near  Santa  Barbara  there 
existed  springs  of  oil  flowing  up  over  the  surface  of  the  sea. 

"  This  remarkable  phenomenon  has  appeared  hitherto  only  to 
excite  wonder  and  vague  speculation  as  to  its  cause.  To  this 
day  I  find,  on  conversing  with  intelligent  ship-masters,  the  idea 
prevails  that  the  oil  flow  is  the  product  of  one,  or  of  a  very 
limited  number  of  springs,  and  that  it  might  possibly  be  con- 
trolled by  pipes  or  otherwise.  The  absurdity  of  this  notion  will 
appear  when  the  facts  are  described,  and  in  view  of  the  struc- 
ture of  the  coast  as  already  explained. 

"  Often  for  hundreds  of  acres  square  at  one  riew,  there  was  no 
part  of  the  sea  but  was  thus  covered.  The  sea  boils  like  efferves- 
cing soda  water,  with  the  escaping  gas  which  accompanies  the 
oil,  and  great  globules  of  pure  oil  rising  with  the  gas  flash  out  on 
the  surface  of  the  water,  tossing  it  up  in  jets,  and  then  breaking 
into  films  of  rainbow  hues,  changing  at  every  instant  like  the 
tints  of  a  dying  dolphin.  The  effect  is  wonderfully  beautiful 
and  exciting,  every  fantastic  form  of  animal  plant  and  fish  is 
reproduced  on  this  marbled  surface  in  thin  films  of  fine  oil. 

"  That  vast  quantities  of  oil  are  here  daily  lost,  by  evapora- 
tion from  the  surface  of  the  sea,  is  perfectly  obvious,  and  con- 
sidering the  unlimited  time  in  which  the  flow  has  been  going 
on  over  so  large  an  area,  it  may  be  doubted  if  this  waste  does 
not  equal  all  the  oil  which  is  saved  from  all  the  oil  wells  in  the 


15 

United  States.     The  origin  of  this  escape  is  not  doubtful,  nor 
the  explanation  of  the  phenomenon  difficult. 

"  It  will  be  remembered  that  this  lavish  outpouring  of  thin 
oil  upon  the  surface  of  the  sea  is  directly  in  front  of,  and  coex- 
tensive with  the  asphaltum  deposits  on  the  shores  of  the  Las 
Golita  and  Las  Positas  Ranches. 

"  A  section  of  the  cliffs,  showing  the  actual  position  of  the 
sandstone  with  reference  to  the  sea  and  the  asphaltum,  might 
serve  to  render  this  subject  more  easy  of  comprehension.  By 
inspecting  such  a  section,  the  asphaltum  is  seen  filling  seams 
and  fissures  in  the  sand-rocks,  where  formerly,  beyond  doubt, 
oil  flowed. 

"  It  has  run  down  over  the  cliffs,  forming  on  the  surface  heavy 
masses  of  hardened  asphalt.  In  doing  so  all  the  rents  have 
been  sealed,  as  well  in  the  cliffs  as  in  the  plain  behind.  But 
the  pressure  still  continuing,  the  oil  has  found  vent  accompanied 
by  gas  along  the  edges  of  the  out-cropping  beds  of  sand-stone 
beneath  the  sea,  where,  being  fre'e  from  evaporation,  no  asphalt 
accumulates.  Here  rising  with  torrents  of  gas  to  the  surface 
of  the  water,  it  spreads  out  and  speedily  evaporates,  and  is 
borne  along  by  the  tidal  currents  up  or  down  the  coast.  It  is 
not  improbable,  should  a  well  be  sunk  to  cut  some  of  these 
veins  of  oil  or  the  seams  in  the  sand-rock  through  which  they 
flow,  that  the  escape  now  taking  place  into  the  sea  may  be  dimi- 
nished materially.  It  is  an  experimental  question,  depending 
for  its  solution  on  the  relative  heights  of  the  hydrostatic  column 
of  two  liquids  of  unequal  densities. 

"  A  question  of  the  very  highest  economical  interest  seems, 
however,  to  be  conclusively  settled  by  the  phenomenon  here 
rehearsed,  namely :  Do  the  asphaltum  deposits  on  the  California 
coast  justify  the  inference  that  they  were  derived  from  the 
evaporation  of  oil,  and  do  they  indicate  the  probable  existence  of 
oil  in  depth  ?  The  answer  seems  to  be  emphatically  affirmative. 
Certainly  nothing  short  of  the  absolute  demonstration  of  an 
actual  boring  could  be  more  satisfactory."  * 

*  Copied  from  the  author's  MSS.  description  of  the  JRincon  Itancho,  on 
shores  of  Santa  Barbara  County. 


16 

AGRICULTURAL   ADVANTAGES   OF   YOUR   ESTATES. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  dwell  briefly  on  the  other  ele- 
ments of  prosperity  combined  in  your  estate,  superadded  to 
the  great  value  which  it  derives  from  its  outcrops  of  oil.  Espe- 
cially should  I  wish  to  speak  somewhat  at  large  of  the  suitable- 
ness of  your  property  for  wine '  growing,  and  the  cultivation  of 
those  fruits  capable  of  transportation  to  a  distant  market.  But 
the  full  discussion  of  these  topics,  interesting  as  they  are,  and 
important  in  every  view  to  your  Company,  and  to  the  country 
at  large,  is  reserved  for  another  occasion.  I  limit  myself  at 
present  to  a  few  points  only.  * 

While  in  Southern  California  during  the  fruit  season  of  the 
past  year,  being  always  interested  in  these  departments  of  cul- 
ture, I  embraced  the  opportunity  to  glean  such  information  as 
was  accessible  on  these  topics,  and  shall,  if  you  desire  it,  take 
pleasure  on  another  occasion  in  presenting  for  your  considera- 
tion the  results  of  my  observations.  Suffice  it  to  say  at  present, 
that  being  in  possession  of  a  territory  considerably  larger  in 
area 'than  either  of  the  Counties  of  Philadelphia  or  Delaware, 
and  of  greatly  superior  fertility,  blessed  with  a  salubrious  and 
delightful  climate,  it  becomes  you  to  consider  well  the  best  plan 
for  its  colonization  with  a  superior  class  of  population,  vine 
growers  and  other  agriculturists. 

You  have  already  an  example  at  hand  in  the  Anaheim  Colony, 
known  as  the  "  Los  Angeles  Vineyard  Society"  founded  in  1857 
on  a  small  area  of  4,000  acres  of  land,  in  Los  Angeles  County, 
where,  from  a  vineyard  of  400  acres,  in  a  period  of  four  years 
after  the  vines  first  became  productive,  they  have  this  past  sea- 
son produced  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  pipes  of  wine, 
worth  at  wholesale  about  $67.50  per  pipe.  The  actual  cash 
outlay  on  this  property  was  $2,400,  and  this  comparatively 
trifling  capital  has  returned  this  last  season  a  gross  revenue 
of  one  hundred  and  forty  thousand  dollars,  a  revenue  which 
will  continue  to  increase  for  several  years  to  come. 

In  addition  to  this  product,  giving  employment  to  a  small 
community  of  industrious  Germans,  a  considerable  annual  sum 
is  realized  from  the  lands  used  for  farm  purposes — producing 


17 

corn,  barley,  wheat,  beans,  &c.,  to  the  amount  of  $8,000 — 
exclusive  of  the  maintenance  of  the  requisite  farm  animals,  and 
the  household  consumption  of  garden  products* 

Such  facts  as  these  give  us  a  glimpse  of  the  near  future  now 
opening  upon  Southern  California,  when  the  accession  of  capital 
and  an  intelligent,  industrious  population  shall  replace  the  semi- 
barbarous  nomadic  life  which  has  heretofore  held  this  fine  country 
in  great  estates  devoted  to  the  widest  species  of  grazing. 

A  series  of  providential  events  crowned  by  the  discovery  of  oil 
in  great  quantities,  has  now  opened  these  beautiful  districts  to 
a  new  population,  and  it  remains  for  you  and  your  associates  to 
work  out  the  problem,  so  full  of  varied  interest  and  value,  not 
only  for  the  fortunate  holders  of  the  new  oil  region,  but  for  the 
whole  State  of  California  in  its  general  commercial  prosperity. 

Permit  me  to  congratulate  you  on  the  possession  of  an  estate 
so  vast  and  productive  in  its  varied  natural  resources,  situated 
in  the  finest  climate  for  human  labor  and  health,  conveniently 
near  ocean  transportation,  and  holding  out  every  promise  of  a 
speedy  return  for  all  the  labor  and  capital  you  may  expend 
upon  it. 

•    Yours,  with  great  regard, 

B.  SILLIMAK 
NEW  HAVEN, 

March  15,  1865. 


APPENDIX. 


To  the  President  and  Trustees 

of  the  Philadelphia  and  California  Petroleum  Company. 

GENTLEMEN: — I  herewith  submit  a  report  founded  upon 
extracts  from  my  field  notes,  made  on  a  survey  and  explora- 
tion on  the  southwest  coast  of  California,  in  1850,  1851,  1852, 
and  a  re-survey  in  1857  and  1858,  for  a  railroad  through  the 
State  of  Texas  to  the  Pacific  ocean. 

These  notes  and  stations  were  taken  from  various  lines  run 
through  the  property  known  as  Rancho  Las  Posas,  Rancho  Simi, 
and  Rancho  San  Francisco.  I  find  that  the  indications  of  oil  and 
gas  springs  on  these  estates  are  as  good  as  on  the  estate  of  Ojai, 
and  it  only  remains  for  your  Company  to  develop  the  rich  gas 
springs,  to  secure  a  rich  reward  in  the  oil  that  lies  beneath  the 
soil  of  these  Ranches. 

Station  16,  North  by  West,  on  Red  Wood  Tree,  16  feet  West. 

A  hill  of  solid  black  shale  rock,  which  is  strongly  and  per- 
ceptibly charged  with  bitumen. 

Station  21,  West,  on  Rock  Sand  Stone. 

A  gully  with  water  courses,  have,  no  doubt,  at  some  time; 
holes  are  cut  in  them ;  are  numerous  and  deep ;  a  greasy  matter 
is  constantly  oozing  out  of  the  seams  of  the  rock,  and  also  quite 
a  strong  stream  of  gas  comes  out  of  one  seam.  On  a  light  being 


20 

applied  it  will  go  off  like  a  cannon,  the  report  of  which  'can  be 
heard  for  a  half  mile  up  the  gully. 

Station  16,  North  by  West,  85  feet,  on  Oak  Stump. 

Is  a  range  of  upheaval  hills  of  solid  black  shale  rock,  which 
is  strongly  charged  with  bitumen. 

Station  49,  West  by  half  North,  40  feet  on  Sand  Stone. 

In  this  gulley  the  water  courses  have  cut  into  the  solid  rock, 
and  in  all  the  opening  crevices  oileous  substance. 

Station  126,  West,  36  feet  North,  on  Stump  of  Red  Wood. 

Near  the  bottom  of  the  valley  .a  large  number  of  gas  springs 
appear  just  under  the  rock. 

Station  141,  West  by  South,  on  Oak  Stump,  75  feet. 

Are  a  large  number  of  holes,  where  the  Indians  obtained  their 
earthgrease,  as  they  call  it  by  name.  It  has  a  singular  smell. 

Station  176,  North  by  West,  on  Sand  Stone  Rock. 

At  this  station  the  Indians  have  a  burning  station,  where 
they  prepare  their  earthgrease  for  medical  purposes.  They  rub 
it  over  their  persons  to  keep  away  the  insects. 

Station  213,  North  line  on  Rock,  West  by  South,  53  feet. 

Singular  geological  formations;  black  shale  rock.  Sand  and 
lime  rock  is  the  outcropping  upheavings ;  has  a  singular  appear- 
ance; ground  shakey,  when  you  jump  on  it.  Hun  a  rod  into 
the  ground,  and  upon  pulling  it  .out,  gas  will  escape  which  will 
burn  for  some  time. 

Station  861,  South  by  West,  on  Stone,  56  feet. 

Carburetted  hydrogen  gas  is  found  in  great  quantities  all  over 
this  range  of  hills,  and  has  been  burning  in  some  places  for  hours 
at  a  time. 


21 
Station  916,  South  by  West,  on  Red  Wood  Stump,  15  feet. 

Oileous  substance  is  found  all  around  this  low  spot  of  swamp 
land  extending  from  the  ground. 

Station  1,064,  West  by  South,  13  feet  on  Rock. 
Salt  springs  of  old  date,  large  bones  lying  around. 

Station  35,  South  Line  West,  13  feet  on  Rock. 
Sulphur  springs  abound  all  about  this  station,  good  to  drink. 

Station  39,  South  line  West,  183  feet  on  Oak  Tree. 

Coal  beds  found  here ;  thin  veins  of  coal  in  black  shale  rock ; 
a  tarry  substance  is  oozing  out  of  the  coal. 

Station  71,  South  by  West,  ISkfeet  on  Rock. 
Deleterious  gases  oozing  out  of  the  ground. 

Station  1,186,  on  Rock  North  line,  24  feet  West  by  South. 

A  beautiful  limpid  oileous  substance  is  oozing  out  of  the  rocks 
at  the  bottom  of  this  range  of  upheavings,  about  400  feet  long. 

Station  81,  North  by  West,  61  feet  on  Rock. 

We  call  this  Lightening  Camp,  from  the  fine  fireworks  we 
had  during  the  evening.  The  men  stationed  themselves  at  the 
different  gas  jettings,  and  touching  them  off",  they  would  dis- 
charge themselves  like  fireworks. 

Station  124,  North  by  West,  Ik  feet  on  Rock. 

Here  we  lighted  the  gas  jettings  to  play  our  games — they 
o;ave  us  a  fine  light  all  night. 

Station  264,  North  by  West,  145  feet  on  Rock. 

Is  a  fine  Spring,  very  oileous,  has  a  singular  smell  of  bitu- 
men. 


22 

Station  465,  North  by  West,  416  feet  on  Rock.    • 

Is  a  deep  gully,  50  feet  wide.  At  the  bottom  is  a  fine  mine- 
ral spring,  rather  saltish,  or  inclined  to  soda. 

Station  516,  North  by  West,  513  feet  on  Rock. 

Up  this  ravine  gas  is  found  in  great  abundance,  with  large 
quantities  of  bituminous  tar,  being  of  a  greasy  nature,  or,  as 
the  Indians  call  it,  "  earthgrease ;"  the  gas  is  constantly  oozing 
out  of  the  ground. 

Station  121,  West  by  South,  61  feet  on  Tree,  Red  Cedar. 
Here  is  a  fine  burning  spring. 

Station  261,  West  by  South,  on  Tree  of  Oak,  Root  2^g  feet 

Is  a  mine  called  Madre  de  Jose.  A  great  quantity  of  gas  is 
coming  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  shaft. 

Station  416,  West  by  South,  24  feet  on  Oak  Tree. 

Soil  very  black  with  bitumen.  16  feet  West  by  North  is  a 
hot  spring,  very  salt. 

Station  576,  West  33  feet  on  Rock. 

Is  a  fine  spring  at  the  head  of  the  ravine.  On  washing  in  it 
it  emits  a  very  peculiar  smell.  It  is  a  very  good  washing  water 
for  the  hands,  making  them  feel  soft  and  smooth. 

Station  619,  West,  10  feet  on  Rock. 
Gas  to  a  large  extent  is  found  'at  this  station. 

Station  716,  West,  76  feet  North  on  Rock. 
Here  is  a  fine  old  salt  spring. 


23 

Station  784,  West  on  Rock,  14  feet. 

The  bitumen  found  here  is  of  a  dark  greasy  nature,  quite 
plenty. 

Station  861,  West  on  Rock. 

Eunning  North  from  this  station  is  quite  a  range  of  hills.  At 
the  bottom  of  these  hills  is  a  large  number  of  grease  holes,  where 
the  grease  of  the  Indians  oozes  through  the  clefts  and  apertures 
of  the  rocks.  This  grease  is  of  a  very  beautiful  amber  color. 
In  a  fluid  state  it  looks  like  a  yellow  water. 

Station  971,  West  by  North,  27  feet  on  Rock. 

The  asphaltum  here  has  a  brownish-yellow  color,  thick  and 
greasy. 

Station  1,010,  West  by  North,  on  Rock. 

At  this  station  are  great  marks  of  disturbance  of  the  rocky 
formation  of  these  hills. 

Station  1,116,  West  by  North,  24  feet  on  Rock. 
The  rock  is  very  porous  and  perforated,  of  a  honeycomb  order, 
where  it  has  an  upheaval  appearance. 

Station  1,206,  North  by  West,  45  feet  on  Red  Wood  'Tree. 

A  very  beautiful  hill  or  cone.  It  looks  as  if  it  came  out  of 
the  ground  like  a  loaf  of  sugar,  Four  feet  from  the  surface  of 
the  ground  is  a  coal  seam,  about  one  foot  thick.  I  have  a 
sample  of  this  coal.  It  is  of  a  semi-bituminous  nature — burns 
free. 

Station  1,300,  West  by  North,  on  Rock. 

Hot  sulphur  springs.  About  400  feet  east  is  a  hot  soda  spring. 
The  rock  is  of  a  sandstone  character. 

Station  1,416,  West  by  North,  on  Rock  16  feet. 

At'  this  station  are  quite  a  number  of  salt  springs,  with  gas 
bubbling  out  like  soap  bubbles,  quite  bituminous  in  smell. 


24 

Station  1,500,  West  by  North,  on  Rook. 

A\l  the  fissures  in  the  rock  round  this  station  are  filled  with 
a  bituminous  substance,  which  has  hardened,  and  when  taken 
from  the  rocks  will  burn  beautifully.  It  has  hardened  into  solid 
seams.  The  rock  is  of  a  calcarious  nature. 

/Station  31,  North  in  the  Valley,  on  Rook. 

At  this  station  the  natives  were,  no  doubt,  in  the  habit  of  get- 
ting their  grease  to  burn  in  their  lamps,  (very  rudely  made.) 
Still  it  is  miserable  stuff  to  burn.  It  makes  a  great  deal  of  smoke 
and  soot,  and  has  a  bad  smell. 

Station  133,  North,  on  Rock  26  feet. 

Quite  a  lake  of  bitumen.  The  natives  use  it  for  the  roofs  of 
their  houses — it  is  an  excellent  substitute  for  cement  or  mortar, 
and  I  cannot  see  what  reason  it  cannot  be  sent  to  San  Francisco, 
to  roof  the  houses  and  pave  the  streets.  It  would  be  of  vast 
importance  if  the  inhabitants  of  San  Francisco  could  be  induced 
to  use  it.  I  think  it  is  the  same  kind  of  material  as  is  used  in 
the  Eastern  cities,  and  found  on  the  shores  of  the  Dead  sea. 

Station  216,  North,  in  the  Valley  on  Rock. 

Gas  springs  all  around  our  camp.  At  this  station  had  an 
attack  of  pain  in  my  knees;  used  the  Indian  grease  that  came 
out  of  the  ground  in  a  hollow  or  swamp  near  the  camp,  which 
almost  immediately  relieved  me  of  the  pain. 

Station  131,  West,  186  feet  South  on  Rock. 

At  this  station  is  a  very  fine  quarry  of  soapstone,  equal  to 
any  I  have  seen  in  New  York. 

Station  172,  West  by  South,  131  feet  on  Rock. 

North  is  a  fine  pit  of  fire  clay ;  the  material  is  found  in  great 
abundance,  and  I  would  call  the  attention  of  the  Company  to  it, 
afl  it  can  be  made  useful  in  the  smelting  of  ores. 


25 

Station  191,  West  by  South,  IS^feet  on  Rock. 
Is  a  fine  lode  in  a  crevice  in  the  rocks,  which  promises  to 
guarantee  a  rich  return  in  gold-bearing  quartz,  when  worked 
to  a  sufficient  depth.  About  500  feet  east  are  two  other  lodes. 
The  development  is  extensive,  and  of  a  character  that  leaves  no 
doubt  in  the  minds  of  those  who  view  them  that  the  ore  is  as 
rich  as  that  taken  from  any  lode  yet  discovered  in  the  mining 
region  of  California. 

Station  381,  on  Rock  South  by  West,  14  feet. 

Is  a  vein  probably  100  feet  in  length,  opening  to  view  as  fine 
a  crevice  of  gold-bearing  ore,  one-half  foot  in  width,  as  ever  a 
miner  could  wish  to  see.  The  pyrites  and  decomposed  quartz 
form  together  a  crevice  of  five  feet  in  width,  the  wall  rock  being 
solid  and  nearly  perpendicular. 

Station  714,  West  by  South,  46  feet  North  on  EocL 
Is  an  oileous  spring  of  Indian  grease.     Just  at  the  foot  of  a 
range  of  hills,  about  300  feet  west,  is  another  large  gaseous 
spring. 

Station  471,  North  by  West,  S3  feet  on  EocL 
At  this  station  salt  springs  abound,  and  all  things  about  here 
indicate  that  it  was  once  the  spot  where  the  Indians  manufac- 
tured a  large  quantity  of  their  grease,  which  they  gathered  near 
the  gas  pits  here. 

Station,  171,  North  by  West,  84  feet. 

Is  a  station  on  rock  of  a  former  survey,  is  an  extensive  gas 
range  of  hills,  and  the  oileous  yellow  matter  is  oozing  out  of  the, 
ground  in  great  abundance.  It  is  low  bottom  land,  about  175 
acres  in  extent. 

Station  184,  West  by  North,  814  feet  West. 
Here  are  strong  indications  that  galena  exists  to  considerable 
extent ;  some  fine  samples  have  been  found,  which  were  put  in 
the  sample  trunk. 


26 

Station  414,  West  by  South,  84  feet  on  Rock. 

At  this  station  fine  magnetic  iron  ore  appears  in  the  primary 
rocks,  such  as  gneiss,  horneblendic  gneiss,  and  pure  horneblende. 
The  bedding  or  situation  of  these  rocks  is  in  the  main  northeast 
and  southwest,  with  a  slight  dip  to  the  south.  The  masses  of 
magnetic  iron  ore  occur  between  these  beds  of  gneiss,  and  in 
general  conform  to  them. 

Station  14,  West  by  South,  174  feet. 

Is  a  fine  bed  of  graphite  or  plumbago.  This  mineral,  so  valu- 
able for  machinery  alone,  lies  in  a  well  defined  vein,  varying 
in  width ;  on  either  side  all  trace  of  its  existence  is  lost,  but  the 
boulders  of  this  material  upon  the  surface  indicate  that  vast 
deposits  exist  beneath.  The  veins  are  regular  veins,  and  will 
therefore  increase  in  width  and  richness  as  you  descend ;  this  is 
very  certain  from  their  well  defined  course. 

Station  814,  West  84  feet,  North  on  Rock. 

Here  the  horizontal  strata  are  piled  one  above  another  to  the 
hill-tops,  and  more  or  less  distributed,  and  give  vent  to  a  large 
quantity  of  gas,  very  illuminating  at  night,  and  an  oileous, 
greasy  matter  is  constantly  oozing  out  of  the  crevices  of  the 
rock,  and  runs  into  the  sand  at  the  bottom.  Sometimes  the 
oileous  matter  is  thrown  some  distance  by  the  force  of  the  gas. 

Station  414,  West  by  North,  14  feet  on  Rock. 

Here  are  numerous  small  springs  of  water,  and  the  oileous 
matter  covers  the  water  and  gives  it  a  most  beautiful  appear- 
ance in  the  morning,  when  the  dew  rises  off  the  water. 

Station  618,  West  by  North,  814  feet  on  Rock. 

Here  are  extensive  salt  and  soda  springs,  and  the  water  is 

very  soft  for  washing  the  hands,  on  account  of  the  oily  matter  that 

is  mixed  with  it,  and  floating  on  the  top.     The  Indians  use  this 

yellow  greasy  material  for  pains  in  the  limbs,  and  we  can  all  of 


27 

us  recommend  it  for  the  same  purpose,  from  practical  experience 
of  its  efficacy. 

Station  614,  West  by  North,  S^feet  on  Rock. 
Here  the  out-burst  of  gas  and  oily  matter  is  enormous,  and 
will  well  repay  a  visit  by  the  curious,  as  it  comes  out  of  the 
ground  beneath  the  spur  of  the  rocks.  Here  we  made  our  camp, 
so  as  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  material  for  camp  purposes  and 
light.  We  called  this  "Camp  Illumination,"  and  the  small 
mount  just  to  the  north,  "Mount  Houston."  We  remained  at 
this  camp  thirty-four  days,  exploring  all  day  and  making  up  our 
notes  at  night. 

Station  814,  West,  South  Line  165  feet. 
Here  appears  to  be  quite  a  fine  bed  of  oileous  matter  combined 
with  bitumen,  and  quite  a  number  of  salt  springs  in  all  direc- 
tions ;  also  a  mass  of  fine  clay,  more  or  less  mixed  with  Galena, 
and  traces  of  gold  in  small  scales  are  found  through  it. 

Station  916,  West  by  North,  84  feet. 

Here  are  great  upheavings,  with  course  sand-stone,  and  then 
beds  of  conglomorate  and  soft  coal,  that  burns  well. 

Station,  23,  West,  on  Rock  116  feet. 

Here  are  found  some  fine  specimens  of  cinnabar,  and  from  the 
crevices  of  the  rocks  the  material  is  found  quite  plenty  in  the 
deep  gulches.  There  is,  no  doubt,  a  fine  vein  of  cinnabar,  pro- 
bably very  rich,  and  of  great  value,  if  properly  explored  and 
developed  by  an  experienced  miner. 

Station  86,  West,  on  Red-wood  14  feet. 
At  this  Station  is  a  fine  soda  spring,  quite  hot  and  oily. 

Station  117,  West  by  South,  on  Rock. 

At  this  Station  the  vein  of  cinnabar  is  well  developed,  and 
traced  from  Station  23,  showing  that  we  are  on  the  cinnabar 
looma  or  range. 


28 

Station  76,  North  by  West,  7.50  feet. 

Another  vein  I  examined  in  a  gulch  was  about  2  feet  wide 
and  at  the  bottom  is  composed  of  very  rich  appearing  iron 
pyrites,  which  I  was  told  brought  a  high  price  at  the  mill.  So 
wide  a  vein  with  such  rich  ore  is  very  rare  in  mines  here,  and 
indicates  a  strong  vein  of  gold-bearing  ore.  These  counties  con- 
tain gold,  silver,  copper,  iron,  lead,  antimony,  cinnabar,  in  such 
quantities  as  will  pay  well  to  mine  them. 

Coal  is  found  all  along  the  base  of  the  mountains  or  row  Of 
hills,  and  out  into  the  valleys.  The  coal  is  very  bright,  rather  soft, 
of  a  semi-bituminous  character,  and  very  full  of  gas ;  contains 
very  little  sulphur,  burns  exceedingly  well,  and  makes  a  hot  fire. 
With  capital  to  work  the  coal  beds  extensively  it  would  pay  a 
fine  interest,  say  5  per  cent,  per  month  in  gold,  to  lay  a  tramway 
to  the  mines  from  the  coast.  Capital  alone  is  needed  to  develop 
all  the  vast  mineral  resources  of  California. 

The  crevices  in  the  hills  are  full  two  feet  broad,  and  become 
wider  as  you  go  down.  The  ore  is  soft  and  friable,  and  very 
easily  mined. 

I  found  some  beautiful  quartz  here,  containing  pyrites  of  iron, 
the  richest  ore  of  these  hills. 

The  ore  taken  out  has  been  crushed  at  two  different  mills  to 
test  its  richness,  has  proved  equal  to  anything  yet  developed, 
and  much  richer  than  many  lodes  that  are  working  at  a  large 
profit. 

This  property  is  sufficiently  extensive  for  the  purposes  of  a 
large  Company,  when  placed  under  full  working  capacity. 

During  my  survey  I  examined  the  different  outcroppings, 
and  found  lodes  or  veins  that  run  nearly  parallel  to,  and  within 
fifty  fe.et  of  each  other,  and  situated  upon  the'  Southern  slope  of 
the  loomas,  where  I  think  that  all  the  lodes  that  are  opened  will 
prove  good. 

In  view,  therefore,  of  the  developed  condition,  and  the  attested 
richness  of  the  ores  found  on  this  property,  the  moral  certainty 
that  there  are  still  richer  ores  beneath,  and  the  facilities  for 


29 

securing  wood  and  other  supplies  for  milling  and  mining  pur- 
poses, makes  this  a  very  valuable  property. 

"With  improved  machinery,  such  as  I  am  now  sending  to  Peru, 
this  mining  property  can  be  made  to  pay  a  good  interest  in  gold 
upon  one  million  dollars,  within  one  year  after  it  is  in  operation. 
1  The  property  described  is  situated. on  your  Eanches,  and  at 
times  a  considerable  amount  of  gold  has  been  washed  from  the 
surface  diggings — the  hidden  source  of  this  is  on  the  hills  and 
gulches  on  the  Eanches  now. under  the  control  of  your  Com- 
pany. 

I  need  not  comment  further  upon  the  merit  of  this  property, 
as  an  inducement  for  investment  that  will  yield  a  large  dividend 
when  properly  worked. 

There  are  many  things  on  this  property  that  deserve  a  pass- 
ing notice,  which  I  cannot  describe  in  detail.  Its  fine  agricul- 
tural advantages  stand  pre-eminent;  its  farming  lands  are 
unsurpassed  by  any  in  Southern  California;  the  hills  can  be 
cultivated  to  their  tops,  and  some  of  the  best  wild  grapes  are 
found  on  these  Eanches ;  the  soil  is  very  productive,  and  every 
seed  put  into  the  ground  produces  a  thousand  fold ;  cotton  and 
tobacco  will  grow  luxuriantly,  and  with  profit  to  the.  husband- 
man. 

I  cannot  refrain  from  the  expression  of  my  satisfaction  upon 
finding  that  the  extracts  from  my  field  notes,  taken  so  .many 
years  since,  no  less  than  my  general  views  of  the  character  -and 
value  of  the  property  in  San  Louis,  Obispo  and  Santa  Barbara 
Counties,  in  Southern  California,  are  so  completely  in  accordance 
with  those  contained  in  "the  full  and  valuable  report  of  Professor 
Silliman,  whose  examinations  and  surveys  the  last  year  had 
nothing  in  common  with. mine  but  an  Bntire  coincidence  m  our 
views  of  the  present  condition  and  future  destiny  of  this  great 
oil  region  of  California. 

Samples  of  the  various  oils,  asphaltum,  bitumen,  amber  oil, 
rosin,  coal,  tar,  liquid  bitumen,  chrystalized  petroleum,  coal, 
Indian  grease,  and  other  oleaginous  substances  taken  from  the 
fissures  in  the  rock,  and  found  on  the  surface  of  the  soil,  and  gas 


30 

springs,  can  be  seen  at  my  office,  on  the  arrival  of  the  steamer 
on  the  25th  March,  or  1st  April,  in  New  York. 

Very  respectfully, 

J.  WILLIAMSON, 
Engineer-in- Chief  of  Survey  and  Exploration. 


The  following  examination  of  the  California  oil,  gathered  from 
the  surface  springs,  has  been  made  by  Professor  J.  M.  Maisch, 
Sufficient  time  was  not  allowed  him  to  purify  and  discolor  the  oil, 
or  make  the  examination  as  full  as  he  desired ;  it  will,  however, 
be  continued,  and  the  results  communicated  at  some  future  day. 
It  is  quite  satisfactory,  as  far  as  it  has  been  carried,  and  en- 
tirely confirmatory  of  the  examinations  made  of  samples  of  the 
same  oil  at  the  laboratory  in  New  Haven,  under  the  direction 
of  Professor  Silliman. 

Philadelphia,  March  18,  1865. 
JOHN  C.  CEESSON,  ESQ., 

Prest  Philadelphia  and  Cal.  Petroleum  Co. 

DEAR  SIR: — I  have  examined  the  coal  oil  from  California 
sent  to  me,  and  find  it  to  have  a  specific  gravity  of  .8629,  and 
to  be  composed  of 

Benzine  spec.  grav.  .756     .....  7T8<j  p.  ct.  by  vol. 
Illuminating  oil,  spec.  grav.  .8219    .     50 
Lubricating  oil, 42/5     " 

The  lubricating  oil  is  very  dense,  has  a  strong  body,  and  is 
in  this  respect  greatly  superior  to  many  of  the  lubricating  coal 
oils  in  our  market.  It  is  of  a  dark  brown  color,  and  will  answer 
well  for  heavy  machinery. 

With  comparatively  little  trouble  and  outlay,  a  great^  portion 
of  it  may  be  purified  so  as  to  answer  for  light  machinery. 


31 

The  illuminating  oil  is  very  light  in  color,  and  is  easily  ob- 
tained, entirely  coloress  by  treatment  with  acids. 

What  is  commercially  called  "  benzine,"  consists  of  hydro- 
carbons, rarely  exceeding  .740  in  specific  gravity ;  compounds 
of  the  specific  gravity  .756  are  generally  contained  in  the  com- 
mercial coal  oil  used  for  illuminating,  which  would  increase  the 
quantity  of  illuminating  oil  from  this  sample  to  57T8o  p.  ct. 
Yours,  very  respectfully, 

J.  M.  MAISCH. 


. 


OP   THB 


CRUDE    PETROLEUM 


FROM 


The  Philadelphia  and  California  Petroleum  Co.'s  Estate 

IN  SAULEE,  BARBARA  COUNTY, 


By  O.   M. 

OF    BOSTON. 
Communicated  in  a  Letter  from  the  Author  to  Fit  OF.  SILLIMAN. 


. 

New  Haven,  April  1,  1865. 
F.  GRAFF,  ESQ.,  Secy. 

DEAR  SIR  : — It  gives  me  pleasure  to  transmit  to  you  here- 
with Mr.  Warren's  results  of  fractional  condensation  of  the 
sample  of  oil  from  your  estate,  identical  with  that  upon  which 
I  have  already  communicated  to  Mr.  Cresson  the  analysis  made 
here. 

Mr.  Warren  is  the  .author  of  a  new  and  highly  improved 
method  of  distillation,  by  which  results  of  great  accuracy  are 
attained  in  the  fractionalizing  of  hydro  carbons.  His  expe- 
rience as  a  chemist  with  petroleum  is  far  greater  than  that  of 
any  other  person  in  the  United  States,  and  his  reputation  for 
skill  and  accuracy  unsurpassed.  It  is  very  satisfactory  to  me 
therefore  to  find  how  essentially  similar  his  results  are  to  those 
which  I  have  already  communicated  to  you.  You  will  note 
that  Mr.  Warren's  temperatures  are  given  in  degrees  Centi- 
grade, while  mine  are  translated  into  Fahrenheit's  degrees. 

With  reference  to  the  crude  petroleum,  of  which  you  have 
now  three  different  analyses,  it  is  to  be  remarked  that  when 
drawn  fresh  from  an  artesian  boring,  it  will  undoubtedly  afford 
a  larger  proportion  of  light  and  of  illuminating  oil  than  the 
surface  samples  now  accessible. 

Yours,  truly, 

B.  SILLIMAN. 

MR.  WARREN'S  LETTER  TO  PROF.  SILLIMAN. 

Boston,  March  31,  1865. 

DEAR  SIR  : — The  results  of  my  examination  of  the  Crude 
California  Petroleum  which  you  sent  me  through  Messrs.  Spear, 
Burke  &  Co.,  of  this  city,  and  which  bore  the  seal  of  Messrs. 
Wyeth  &  Bro.,  are  as  follows : 


IMS 

36 

Specific  gravity  at  17  c.  0.864=33°  Beaume'. 

1250  cc.  of  the  crude  substance  subjected  to  ^    Q      .,. 

n  n       '      -\        -\         •  opecinc  gra- 

my  process  of  fractional  condensation,  gave —  >    . ,        ,  taken 

41  cc.  of  light  oil  between    93°  and  100°  c.  J       J 
43    "          "       "         "        100°  and  140°  c. 
525    "  B.  burning  oil   "        140°  and  310°  c.  sp.  gr.=44°  B. 
From  this  point  the  distillation  was  conducted  in  the 
ordinary  manner  from   a  common   retort,  no  thermo- 
meter being  employed. 

270  cc.  lubricating  oil  of  sp.  gr.  29J°  Beaume'. 
293  "  "  "         "      28°         " 

1172  cc.=93.8  per  cent,  of  total  product. 

The  residue  left  in  the  retort  was  dry  coke.  After  treatment 
with  sulphuric  acid  and  alkali  the  light  oil  and  the  burning  oil 
were  nearly  or  quite  colorless.  The  lubricating  oil  had  a  yel- 
lowish color.  The  odor  of  the  burning  oil  was  extremely  agree- 
able, fully  equal  in  this  respect  to  the  best  Kerosene  or  refined 
Pennsylvania  petroleum.  The  other  products  are  also  entirely 
free  from  disagreeable  odor,  and  indeed  the  same  may  be  said 
of  the  crude  oil  itself.  In  this  respect  it  is  readily  distinguish- 
able from  the  Pennsylvania  petroleum. 

The  burning  properties  of  the  illuminating  oil  are  not  sur- 
passed by  any  oil  which  I  have  seen. 

What  I  have  called  light  oil  is  not  very  volatile,  and  would 
not,  I  think,  rank  in  the  market  as  naphtha,  at  least  not  that 
taken  between  100°  and  140°  c. ;  and  it  is  my  opinion  that  the 
burning  oil  would  take  the  whole  of  the  light  oil,  and  still  bear 
the  commercial  fire  test.  In  that  case  some  of  the  lighter  of 
the  lubricating  oil  probably  might  be  run  into  the  burning  oil, 
so  that  the  yield  of  the  latter  would  be  over  50  per  cent. 
Yours,  truly, 

0.  M.  WARREN. 
PROF.  B.  SILLIMAN, 

New  Haven, 


"V 


